Dahlia plant named ‘HDLE105’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘HDLE105’, characterized by its compact, mounding and dense plant habit; serrated dark-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescence form; large inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HDLE105’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘HDLE105’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact container Dahlia plantsthat have dark-colored leaves, large inflorescences and goodpostproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in Lisse, TheNetherlands in 2009 of a proprietary seedling selection of Dahliahybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse,The Netherlands in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings since thespring of 2011 in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, TheNetherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘HDLE105’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘HDLE105’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and dense plant habit.    -   2. Serrated dark-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescence form.    -   5. Large inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets.    -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact and denser than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia are darker in color than        leaves of plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent        selection have reddish brown-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia hybrida‘HDW79’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,298. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the newDahlia differed from plants of ‘HDW79’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were taller and broader than plants        of ‘HDW79’.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia were more freely branching and        denser than plants of ‘HDW79’.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia had thicker stems than plants of        ‘HDW79’.    -   4. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia were lighter in color than        leaves of plants of ‘HDW79’.    -   5. Plants of the new Dahlia had larger inflorescences than        plants of ‘HDW79’.    -   6. Plants of the new Dahlia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘HDW79’.    -   7. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘HDW79’ differed in ray floret        color as plants of ‘HDW79’ had white-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘HDLE105’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘HDLE105’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations and measurements describeplants grown during the summer and autumn in ground beds in an outdoornursery in Lisse, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typicalof commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperaturesranged from 5° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched one time about threeweeks after planting. Plants were 14 weeks old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘HDLE105’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eleven days at soil            temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at soil            temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at soil temperatures of 15° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 22 days            at soil temperatures of 15° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.        -   Tubers.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 15 cm. Texture:            Corky. Color: Close to 199B.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            inverted triangular plant form; freely basal branching with            about twelve lateral branches per plant; dense and bushy            appearance; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About            1.8 cm. Internode length: About 6 cm to 11 cm. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 146A            tinted with close to 200C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, single or compound with three or five            leaflets.        -   Leaf length.—About 4.5 cm to 19 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 2.5 cm to 9 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate; sinuses divergent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to or darker than            191A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;            venation, close to 183B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 191A; venation, close to 147A.        -   Petioles.—Length, all leaves and leaflets: About 2 mm to            20 mm. Diameter, all leaves and leaflets: About 2.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to            148A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Rotate daisy-type            inflorescences with ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a receptacle; inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            inflorescences face mostly upright; freely flowering habit            with typically more than 100 inflorescences developing per            plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 65 days after            planting; flower continuously during the summer and autumn            in The Netherlands.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;            inflorescences maintain good substance for about 15 days on            the plant and for about five days as a cut flower;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About            1.6 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Towards the base, close to            147A; mid-section, close to 152A; towards the apex, close to            180A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Receptacle height.—About 9 mm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Receptacle color.—Close to 187B.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 4.3 cm. Width: About 2.6 cm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Aspect: Initially upright to roughly perpendicular            to the peduncle. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence:            About eight arranged in a single whorl. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 2A. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 2A; longitudinal ribs, close to 181B. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 5A; color does not fade with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 3C;            longitudinal ribs, close to 183B.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About            8 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 95. Color, immature: Apex: Close to            17A. Mid-section: Close to 1B. Base: Close to 1C. Color,            mature: Apex: Close to 17A. Mid-section and base: Close to            1C.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five arranged            in a single whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 7 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 200A. Color, lower surface: Close to            or darker than 200A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6 cm to 11 cm.            Length, fourth peduncle: About 7 cm. Length, seventh            peduncle: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 183B        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets            only: Quantity per disc floret: Five. Filament length: About            4 mm. Filament color: Close to 3D. Anther shape: Lanceolate.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 2C. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium,            present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per floret: One.            Pistil length: About 4.5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate.            Stigma color: Close to 4C. Style length: About 2.5 mm. Style            color: Close to 4C. Fruits: Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:            About 1.9 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            187B. Seeds: Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Color: Close to 187B.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘HDLE105’ asillustrated and described.